This invention relates to thermoplastic polyethers having pendant hydroxyl moieties and to articles prepared from such polyethers.
Hydroxyphenoxyether polymers are known to be useful in the fabrication of articles exhibiting barrier properties. See, for example, Reinking et al, J. Poly Sci., Vol. 7, pp. 2135-2144, pp. 2145-2152 and pp. 2153-2160 (1963) and Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, Vol. 10, pp. 111-122. Such polymers generally have only moderate oxygen barrier, i.e., they generally exhibit oxygen transmission rates of 2 to 75 cm.sup.3 -mil/100 in.sup.2 -atm-day.
In view of the limited barrier properties of the prior art polymers having pendant hydroxyl moieties and phenoxyether moieties, it would be highly desirable to provide a polymer having a genuinely high barrier (i.e., oxygen transmission rate less than 0.5 cm.sup.3 -mil/100 in.sup.2 -atm-day) to oxygen. Polymers that retain such high barrier in both dry and moist environments would be especially desirable.